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To promote energy efficiency projects, the Department of Energy has showered $47 million in grants on IT and communication firms. IBM, Yahoo, Alcatel-Lucent and HP are among firms receiving the grants, which will be matched by $70 million in private industry funding, reports PCWorld. IBM is getting $1.66 million to develop and field test software-based management tools [...]

Businesses increasingly are finding distinct additional marketing and advertising advantages in green messages, according to a new survey. In fact, 82 percent of survey respondents said they planned to use more green messaging in their marketing, according to the report, “Green Marketing: What Works & What Doesn’t – A Marketing Study of Practitioners.” More than 370 marketing [...]

Venture capital investments in green technology companies declined by 33 percent from $8.5 billion in 2008 to $5.6 billion in 2009, despite a flurry of government subsidies for renewable energy, according to a preliminary report by the Cleantech Group and Deloitte, reports the New York Times’ Green Inc. blog. However, the overall amount of venture capital [...]

More carbon fraud cases are popping up around the globe including Australia and Belgium as government watchdog organizations step up efforts to monitor the nascent green business sector. As an example, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it is closely watching the green business sector, reports SmartCompany. ACCC recently forced a green power company, [...]

Strict new health standards for smog will impose extra costs as the Environmental Protection Agency rolls back the more lax Bush-era smog standards. The new limits, proposed Jan. 7, are likely to put hundreds of counties nationwide into violation, meaning that they will have to find ways to clamp down on the pollution or risk losing [...]

The latest Guide to Greener Electronics from Greenpeace now rates companies on whether they lobby for industrywide rules that would prevent use of environmentally damaging materials. Greenpeace wants companies to support policies like the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electronics, which would ban use of brominated flame retardants, chlorinated flame retardants and PVC in [...]

A pilot program will help institute energy efficiency building retrofit programs in six states. The National Governors Association announced the program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its $11 billion building retrofit and weatherization stimulus program, according to a press release. Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin were selected [...]

A rash of new, more energy efficient consumer electronics are drawing the spotlight at CES 2010 in Las Vegas. A good chunk of the 20,000-some new product launches at the show featured decreased energy usage or more environmentally friendly manufacture or components, reports 9News. In fact, there are about four times as many booths this year as [...]

Averting a possible shutdown, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Port of Oakland truckers agreed to a last-minute deal that included additional funding to help the truckers comply with stricter requirements on diesel emissions that officially took effect on Jan. 1 and a deadline extension that allow hundreds of big rigs to operate at [...]

Supermarket food in the UK will be labeled to show its carbon footprint, country of origin and animal welfare standards as part of the government’s new food strategy for the next 20 years, reports the Telegraph. The voluntary  “green” food labels will show how much carbon was produced in the manufacture and transportation of food, [...]

Solar Power International 2009, North America's largest business-to-business solar energy event broke attendance records for the sixth year in a row last week. This year's vent drew more than 24,000 industry professionals, an increase from 17,500 in the previous year. Attendees came from 99 different countries and and represented all segments of the solar and related industries, including electric utilities, construction and investment banking.

Since solar energy technology is on solid ground and the finance and policy pieces of the puzzle are being addressed through the stimulus plan, all that's left to make solar energy an integral part of the American energy economy is education, according to Rhone Resch of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

ROSSLYN, Va., November 3, 2009—In a press conference held today at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced ground-breaking consensus legislation, which will, for the first time ever, set federal efficiency standards for pole-mounted outdoor lighting. Making the announcement were Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM); Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Senator Mark Pryor [...]

Highlights: - Support and drive development in the environmental technology and clean energy - sectors; - Fresh perspectives from thought leaders and business heads; - Essential strategy information needed for prospective investors and deal-makers

In a speech at the United Nations and afterward at the G-20 summit meeting in September, President Obama called for elimination of government subsidies for greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting fossil fuels. Said the President "I will work with my colleagues at the G20 to phase out fossil fuel subsidies so that we can better address our climate challenge."

Editor's Note: Scientific American 's George Musser will be chronicling his experiences installing solar panels in Solar at Home (formerly 60-Second Solar). Read his introduction here and see all posts here .

Have you installed a grid-connected solar array on your home? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience! I'm planning to pull together a series of blog posts that surveys the variety of projects out there to see what common themes emerge. Please contact me offline at solarathome@sciam.com and summarize what you've done: the size of the system, its performance, your location, the subsidies (if any) you've taken advantage of, any problems you encountered, whatever. If you're blogging about it, include the URL and I'll link to it.

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In the previous edition of the IAEI News, we took a look at some of the more significant changes that have been proposed for the upcoming NEC-2011 in Chapters 1–3. Let’s continue that process by taking a look at proposed changes to Chapters 4–8. Keep in mind that these proposed changes are just that—proposed. These [...]

Editor's Note: Scientific American 's George Musser will be chronicling his experiences installing solar panels in Solar at Home (formerly 60-Second Solar). Read his introduction here and see all posts here .

I may be one of the few people in my town to have solar power right now, but if the news I’m hearing from the Solar Power International trade show this week is right, a wave of installations is about to sweep the country. I wasn’t able to attend the show -- this blog is just a sideline for me and I couldn’t justify a whole trip -- but I had a chance to talk with two conference attendees, Mike Caliel, CEO of IES , a big national energy contractor that has gotten heavily involved in renewables, and Harry Fleming, CEO of Acro Energy Technologies , one of the biggest solar installers in California.

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Washington, DC – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) commends Florida Power & Light (FPL) and SunPower for the completion of the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Arcadia, Florida. The facility will overtake Nevada's Nellis Solar Power Plant for the title of largest solar photovoltaic facility in North America. Constructed in less than a year, the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center uses over 90,000 photovoltaic panels to turn the sun's rays into electricity to power more than 3,000 homes.

Anaheim, CA—The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today announced the results of the 2009 SEPA Solar Business Achievement Awards. In the midst of today's challenging solar market conditions, the SEPA Board of Directors and staff are proud to recognize these utilities and solar companies who are responding to these challenges with action and innovation. Winners were selected in five categories based upon their demonstation of clear vision and imaginative business strategies. Nominees for the awards included one utility CEO, electric utilities, and solar companies from SEPA's 700 plus member companies across the U.S. and the world. Recognition of CEO of the Year winner, Don Brandt of Arizona Public Service, will take place today at 10:30 am in room 202 of the Anaheim Convention Center during the Press Conference. Winners in the remaining categories will be recognized during SEPA's Annual Membership Meeting, tomorrow, October 29, at 12:30 pm in Ballroom C of the Anaheim Convention Center, in conjunction with Solar Power International

As a researcher and writer, one naturally gets to read a few books. However, I was absolutely astonished to find that it was one of my own, A Renewable World, that actually gave me, for the first time as a professional environmentalist, real hope. I read the new book cover to cover, and when I finished it, was left with an overwhelming sense that "we actually can pull this out of the fire!"

Editor's Note: Scientific American 's George Musser will be chronicling his experiences installing solar panels in Solar at Home (formerly 60-Second Solar). Read his introduction here and see all posts here .

Someone commenting on one of my recent posts posed an interesting question:

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Online solar tools and other resources customized for utility executives, employees and solar industry leaders

Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC Will Produce "Solar Power International", "PV America" and Other B2B Events; Show Proceeds Will Continue to Support the Growth of the U.S. Solar Energy Industry

Keynotes Include U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Ed Begley Jr.; Organizers Expect Record Attendance of 20,000+ People from 90 Countries; Sprawling Solar Energy Expo with 925 Companies Opens Doors to General Public on October 28, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.